Throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia there are numerous health risks that threaten women and children. Diarrhea, pneumonia, malnutrition and obesity extend across borders and impact millions. That’s why we are reaffirming and deepening our commitment to the United Nation Secretary General’s Every Woman Every Child movement. The movement aims to mobilize and intensify global efforts to improve the health of women and children around the world.

In addition to its support for Every Woman Every Child, Sesame Workshop is seeking to collaborate with organizations to help support an unprecedented new global health initiative, “Healthy Children, Health Lives Around the World.” Through this program Sesame workshop will aim to improve the lives of millions of women and children by harnessing the power of educational media and the enduring charm of the Sesame Street Muppets to promote health awareness, knowledge and positive health choices globally.

As part of our support for Every Woman, Every Child, Sesame Workshop has produced a public service announcement featuring Kami from Takalani Sesame, the South African version of Sesame Street, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“I am deeply grateful to Sesame Workshop for lending its creativity, passion and global popularity to Every Woman Every Child, which is working to save millions of lives,” said Ban Ki-moon. “I am proud to partner with Kami and her friends, who can advance the global health agenda around the world in ways I never could. I hope others will join our global movement for the health of every woman and every child.”

Sesame Workshop’s approach brings together local educators, child development specialists, researchers, producers, writers, and artists to develop programs that meet the developmental needs of children in a particular country or region. In Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, we produce multimedia initiatives promoting general health and hygiene. In South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and Lesotho, our multimedia campaign is working towards ensuring parents, children and educators have all the information they need to combat HIV and AIDS as well as respect those already afflicted. And in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and China, our multimedia approach is working to make sure that parents and children have all the information necessary to practice water safety, hygiene and good nutrition.

“For 43 years, Sesame Workshop has been making a meaningful difference in the lives of children by addressing their critical developmental needs through innovative and engaging educational content,” said H. Melvin Ming, President and CEO of Sesame Workshop. “We’ve reached hundreds of millions children and families in over 150 countries worldwide, including many who would otherwise have no access to early childhood education.”

Click here to learn more about the work Sesame Workshop does to improve the lives of children around the world.